Apparatus for making hand and foot impressions



Dec. 8, 1959 w. JAMES 2,915,782

APPARATUS FOR MAKING HAND AND FOOT IMPRESSIONS Filed Jan. 25, 1956 United States Patent APPARATUS FOR MAKING HAND AND FOOT IMPRESSIONS Wilbert James, New York, N.Y.

Application January 25, 1956, Serial No. 561,257

1 Claim. (Cl. 185.1)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in molds and molding kits.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of an improved kit for making hand and foot impressions and an improved mold.

As a further object, the present invention proposes forming the mold with a base having a fixed mold member mounted thereon and a movable mold member pivotally secured to the base, the mold members having improved layer markers and separator indicators formed integrally therein.

Still further, the present invention proposes constructing the kit so that an impression of a babys hand or foot can easily and quickly be made by either parent or by a person having no previous molding experience.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a kit constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the mold open.

Fig. 4 is a view of the mold illustrating the first step in making an impression of a babys hand with the kit.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a later step.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5 but showing a still later step.

'Fig. 7 is a top plan front view of the plaque made by the steps illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a modified form of mold.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the kit in accordance with the first form of the present invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, is designated generally by the reference numeral 15.

Kit 15 has an endless ring mold 16, a container of impression making material 17 such as clay or putty, a container of molding material or compound 18 such as plaster of Paris, and a plaque back 19.

Mold 16 has a base 20 on which is a fixed rigid arcuate mold member 21. A complementary rigid arcuate movable mold member 22 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 23 to one end of the fixed mold member 21. One of the flat surfaces of the member 21 is fixed to the base. Movable mold member 22 has a locking lug 24 on the free end thereof, the lug having an opening 25. Fixed mold member 21 has a locking lug opening or recess 26 in the free end thereof, and a locking pin 27 slidably mounted on the end 28. Pin 27 is adapted to fit through the opening 25 transversely across the locking lug 24 of the movable mold member 22 when the lug 24 is in the locking lug opening 26 of fixed mold member 21.

Mold members 21 and 22 have on their inner concave 2,915,782 Patented Dec. 8, 1959 sides a plurality of spaced layer markers and separator indicators 29 having spaced saw tooth lands and grooves 31 with downward inclined sides 32 and radially disposed sides 33. The grooves form endless channels inside mold 16 when mold member 22 is closed with lug 24 engaged in lug opening 26.

Plaque back 19 is made of wire mesh or screen material with a hanging member 34 pivotally attached thereto.

The impression material 17, which may be common putty like materials such as modeling clay, caulking compound, or putty, is placed in the mold to line the bottom of the mold. The impression material is rolled or otherwise made smooth and flat in the mold. The hand or foot 40 is moistened with water and pressed gently but firmly into the impression material in the mold as shown in Fig. 4, then slowly removed.

The plaster molding material or compound 18 is then poured into the mold on top of the impression and impression material as shown in Fig. 5, and the plaque back 19 is then pressed completely into the back or top of the molding material in the mold with the hanging member outwardly disposed and with the rim of the back engaged in one of the grooves 31.

After the molding material in the mold has set and hardened, the movable half of the mold is opened and v the casting removed. The spaced layer markers and separator indicators in the mold halves will leave spaced grooves for easy separation of the hardened molding material from the impression material. The plaque 41 can be shellac, enamel, or metallic coated if desired.

The mold members 21 and 22 form a shallow endless ring when closed. The diameter of the ring is greater than the axial length thereof to facilitate insertion of a hand or foot into the impression material. The ring is rectangular in cross section in order to provide a rigid structure which will resist the expansive force of the setting plaster.

The modification of the invention illustrated in Fig. 8 is characterized by the provision of a mold 50 having two legs 51 and 52 disposed at right angles and forming one half of the mold and two legs 53 and 54 similarly disposed and forming the other half of the mold. Locking or pivot pins 55 and 56 hold the two mold halves together.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent A mold for use in a kit adapted to making plaster plaques from hand and foot impressions, comprising a rectangular base, a first fiat rigid arcuate mold member immovably fixed to on one of its fiat surfaces of said base, said member having a plurality of spaced grooves on the inner concave side thereof and a recess in one end thereof, a second fiat rigid arcuate mold member pivotally connected to the other end of the first member, said second member having a plurality of spaced grooves on the inner concave side thereof and a lug on the free end thereof, said lug having an opening thereon, and a pin slidably mounted at said one end of the first member and arranged to pass through said opening transversely across the lug when the second member is pivoted to engage the lug in said recess, the first and second members forming an endless circular ring to receive an impression material with the mold material superimposed on the impression material, the grooves in the members forming endless channels when the lug is engaged in said recess,

one of said channels serving to seperate layers of the impression and mold materials, and another of the channels providing means for anchoring a mesh backing member during setting of the mold material the diameter of said ring being greater than the axial length thereof, each of 5 said grooves being sawtoothed in cross section and having adjoining sides inclined to and radially extending from the concave sides of said members, each of said mold members having a substantially rectangular cross section to resist flexing upon expansion of a mold material within 10 the closed members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Smith Dec. 25, 1877 Granstrom July 4, 1911 Binning Mar. 23, 1915 Hauser Sept. 5, 1916 Pelton May 29, 1917 Orlopp Nov. 1, 1932 Heineman et al. June 26, 1951 Theis Sept. 23, 1952 

